Special
by Bomb-O-Maniac
Summary: She just needed someone to tell her she was special, too. Donna commits an act of kindness on an old friend.


**Special**

She just needed someone to tell her she was special, too. Donna commits an act of kindness on an old friend.

**dwhp**

14 year old Petunia Evans sat beneath the awning over a bus stop. Her school bag sat open beside her, her things stuffed and organized neatly into it for the world to see. The book she'd pulled out absently to flip through sat on her lap as she scowled fiercely down at the open pages.

"That's a pretty picture," a voice beside her said, "I do like petunias. Hardly little buggers. A little neglect don't stop them none. Just a bit of water and some sunshine and they perk right back up." Petunia snapped the book shut and turned her scowl on the speaker. The speaker turned out to be plump ginger haired woman with a king but homely and somewhat familiar face.

"Have we met?" Petunia sneered.

"Nope," the woman popped her 'P's, completely unfazed by teenage snottiness, "Names Donna. Nice to meet you."

"Petunia."

"What a lovely name," Donna said, "What are doing out here by yourself? Not exactly the nicest neighborhood. Waitin' on a mate myself, but he's late. Again."

"This is the only bus that goes by my neighborhood." Petunia said stiffly. The ginger nodded thoughtfully, then snapped her fingers.

"Right must be the little mill town," her voice cheerful despite the deluge of biblical proportions and the younger girls sour mood, "Used to live there myself, you know. Quiet little place. Then mum got some uppity bee in her bonnet and we moved. Don't know why, _I_ liked it -"

"Why?" Petunia had had enough, "It's a horrid place. I hate it! There's nothing but vagrants and good for nothings and-"

"You?" Donna interrupted gently. Petunia turned her head in shame, "It's not a bad thing coming from poverty. It gives you strong roots. Makes you hardy. A survivor. You know where you've been, you know what you want, you know you can live through it." The gingers voice had taken on that far away tone which spoke of experience. Petunia tried not to show how intently she was listening, "You're special you know. Don't ever let yourself think otherwise. Don't compare yourself to others – Your friends or even your sister. Lilies are pretty but they don't last long. Be yourself and don't fall for the first man that comes calling. I did and boy did _that_ end badly." The teenager looked at her curiously and Donna clarified.

"He tried to sacrifice me to a giant spider." Petunia grimaced. Yes, she really didn't want to marry a freak like that, let alone _any_ freak. "Anyways, the point I'm trying to make here is that you're special, too. Write it down and keep it in your pocket or somewhere only you can see it." Donna cocked her head and looked about. The girl listened as well and thought she heard in the distance, the doppler sound of a siren. '_Is she a police officer?'_

A smile crossed Donna's face.

"Finally," the plump woman rolled her eyes and looked back as if sharing some sort of secret about an infuriating tendency of her friend and tardiness, instead Petunia found herself swept up in a warm, squishy hug, "You're special, Petunia Evans. Even if the only thing you ever do is temp for the rest of your life... _You_ are special."

Donna pulled away and gave the slightly confused teen a brilliant grin,

"See you 'round, yea," got up, sprinted into the rain, and disappeared as the bus pulled up to the stop.

"Yea," Petunia said faintly, looking down at the pretty pretty cover of the book on her lap, then more firmly, "Yes."

On the bus, 14 year old Petunia Evans stared into the pouring rain through the dirty window.

"I'm special," she whispered to herself, a faint glow of warmth fluttered in her chest. She grinned as a thought occurred to her and the image of the ginger plump woman dashing into the rain at the summons of the siren, "Petunia Evans, Detective Inspector."

**hpdw**

Donna entered the TARDIS and found herself engulfed in a giant doctor induced bear hug.

"That was a very good thing for you to do. Brilliant," he said in that utterly sincere way of his, "I think you're special, too." Donna smiled into his shoulder. "Even if you are ginger and I'm not. And sopping wet."

"Shut up, spaceman."

* * *

AN: Headcannon: The Noble family lived in the same mill town as the Evans, then moved a year or so after Lily goes to hogwarts. Donna knew it upset Petunia who, like Donna, was never told she was special. Except in separate cannon Donna goes on to be _the _single most important woman in the universe and Petunia... does not. I always considered Petunia's case a situation where, yes, actions speak louder than words, but some people need to be beaten with it.

Challenge: Pick a 'mean' character and have someone be nice to them, how does this change things? Can be any fictional work you choose.

Not to worry, still working my SPN/HP crossover. RL just got in the way big time.


End file.
